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Instructing and Assessing English Learners with Significant Cognitive DisabilitiesFormats: PDFThe purpose of this report is to identify an evidence base on best practices in English language arts instruction for English learners (ELs) with significant cognitive disabilities whose family may use another language in the home. This report also provides recommendations for important first steps to ensure that ELs with significant cognitive disabilities have access to grade-level curriculum and instruction.
Published: September, 2015
NCEO Newsletter: October 2015 issueFormats: OnlineAn issue providing a link to the new NCEO Web site, with many new topics and lots of new information, plus summaries of, and links to, several new NCEO products. Among them is the report on the National Conference on Student Assessment pre-conference forum, titled Implementing Accessibility Frameworks for ALL Students, which focuses on the challenges and opportunities of the new context of many new assessments. This issue also highlights the results from the 2014 Survey of States, a report on graduation policies for students with disabilities who participate instates' general assessments, and the latest Data Analytics report on public reporting of state assessment data on students with disabilities.
Published: October 2015
NCEO State Surveys: 2014 Survey of States: Initiatives, Trends, and AccomplishmentsA report providing a snapshot of the new initiatives, trends, accomplishments, and emerging issues during this important period of education reform as states documented the academic achievement of students with disabilities. This is the fourteenth such survey of states conducted by NCEO. States were cognizant of the benefits of inclusive assessment and accountability systems, and continued to improve assessment design, participation, accessibility and accommodations policies, monitoring practices, and data reporting.
Published: September, 2015
NCEO Data Analytics: 2012-13 Publicly Reported Assessment Results for Students with Disabilities and ELLs with Disabilities (#2)Formats: OnlineAn interactive, online brief analyzing public reporting practices for assessment data for students with disabilities in K-12 schools in the United States. This interactive brief is based on NCEO Technical Report 70: 2012-13 Publicly Reported Assessment Results for Students with Disabilities and ELLs with Disabilities
. The purpose of this study was to analyze whether states report data for students with disabilities "to the public with the same frequency and in the same detail as it reports on the assessment of nondisabled children," as required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).Published: August 2015
NCEO Synthesis Reports: Graduation Policies for Students with Disabilities who Participate in States' General Assessments (#98)A report detailing the results of states' 2014-15 requirements for students with disabilities who participate in the general assessment to earn a regular diploma, and comparing the requirements held for them to the requirements held for their peers. This NCEO investigation relates to the recent nationwide push for all students, including those with disabilities, to leave school ready for college and career has heightened the importance of understanding what states are requiring of students with disabilities to earn a regular diploma. Researchers examined both the course requirements and, in those states that had them, the exit assessment requirements.
Published: July 2015
NCEO Brief: Making Accessibility Decisions for ALL Students (#11)A Brief presenting information on steps to take in the transition from a focus on making decisions about accommodations for students with disabilities and English language learners (ELLs), to a focus on decisions about accessibility and accommodations required by the new assessment approaches of states and collaboratives of states. These new approaches include making decisions for students without an identified disability or ELL status. Seven steps are highlighted that will be useful for states in organizing professional development for educators who will be making accessibility decisions, and for educators themselves who are seeking information on making optimal decisions about accessibility tools and accommodations that meet individual student needs.
Published: June 2015
NCEO Newsletter: June 2015 issueFormats: OnlineAn issue providing a preview of the National Conference on Student Assessment pre-conference forum that NCEO is holding with the Assessing Special Education Students SCASS - Implementing Accessibility Frameworks for ALL Students. It focuses on the challenges and opportunities of the new context of many assessments - technology based, with new tools available to all students, some accessibility features available to students with documented needs, and accommodations for a defined set of students. The discussion is free and open to the public. Also highlighted in this issue is a new approach that NCEO is taking to present some of its rich data-based reports. NCEO's new series of Data Analytics reports allows the user to obtain customized information about state data and policies. The first report, highlighted in this issue, focuses on graduation requirements for students with significant cognitive disabilities. Look for other topics in the near future! The last article tells how Martha Thurlow was honored at the 2015 Council for Exceptional Children conference in San Diego in April with the CEC Lifetime Achievement Award.
Published: June 2015
NCEO Technical Reports: 2012-13 Publicly Reported Assessment Results for Students with Disabilities and ELLs with Disabilities (#70)A report analyzing public reporting practices for assessment data for students with disabilities in K-12 schools in the United States. This report -- the 16th of its kind by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) -- includes information about both the 50 regular states and the 11 unique states. For the 2012-13 school year, 52 of the 61 regular and unique states reported participation and performance data for students with disabilities for all general and alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards (AA-AAS) that were used for Title I within the ESEA accountability system. Information about state assessments not used for Title I is also presented. Information on public reporting for English Language Learners (ELLs) with disabilities is also included in this report.
Published: May 2015
NCEO Data Analytics: Graduation Policies for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities Who Participate in States' AA-AAS (#1)Formats: OnlineAn online, interactive brief presenting the results of NCEO's analysis of states' graduation policies for their students with significant cognitive disabilities who participate in the alternate assessment based on alternate achievement standards (AA-AAS). There is increasing interest in graduation rates and regular diploma requirements as states aim to ensure their students are college- and career-ready when they leave school with a diploma. Yet little was known about states' graduation policies and this prompted the current analysis.
Published: March 2015
NCEO Newsletter: February 2015 issueFormats: OnlineAn issue highlighting findings from a recent National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) report on graduation requirements for students with significant cognitive disabilities who participate in the alternate assessment based on alternate achievement standards (AA-AAS). This issue also provides snapshots of updates on the six assessments consortia - PARCC, Smarter Balanced, DLM, NCSC, ASSETS, and ELPA21! These snapshots focus on the consortia's efforts for students with disabilities and ELLs, including ELLs with disabilities. Finally, if you will be in Palm Springs for the ATP Conference, or in San Diego for the CEC Conference, or in Chicago for the AERA/NCME Conferences, NCEO has for you a list of the sessions that will be delivered, moderated, or chaired by Center staff.
Published: February 2015
NCEO Policy Directions: Considerations When Including Students with Disabilities in Test Security Policies (#23)A report concluding that assessments better measure what students know and can do when states and consortia thoughtfully consider how to balance test security and accessibility. Many states are concerned that their test security policies may not adequately address accommodated tests, alternate assessments, and other related issues. For example, a survey conducted by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (2013) found that 45 states believed that their state test was vulnerable to cheating when testing students in need of accommodations. Test security policies and procedures need to address test administration procedures, accommodations, and other issues related to students with disabilities to help ensure the integrity and validity of a test. A fundamental consideration when evaluating the validity of an assessment is the "fairness" of the test.
Published: February 2015
Audio Support Guidelines for Accessible Assessments: Insights From Cognitive LabsFormats: PDFA report examining how some students, including students with print disabilities, students with low vision, and English language learners, may benefit from having test content read aloud. However, there have been challenges in standardizing the presentation of test content, including whether or not to read answer choices or to describe maps and cartoons, among many other issues. Technology-enhanced assessment offers the opportunity to provide standardized audio support delivered through the test platform. One goal of the Guidelines for Accessible Assessment Project (GAAP) was to develop a set of audio guidelines that could be used across states. Overall, the findings from the cognitive labs support the need for taking an individualized approach in providing audio support for assessments.
Published: December 2014
NCEO APR Snapshot Briefs: 2011-2012 APR Snapshot #7: State Assessment Participation and Performance of Students Receiving Special Education Services (#7)Formats: OnlineThis year 2014 report provides participation and performance information for students with disabilities in general assessments used for federal accountability in 2011-2011. Data include information on reading and math, focusing on grade eight.
Published: December 2014
NCEO Synthesis Reports: Graduation Policies for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities Who Participate in States' AA-AAS (#97)A report analyzing the graduation requirements and diploma options for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities who participate in states' alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards (AA-AAS). The authors found that nearly 70% of states' policies indicated that students with the most significant cognitive disabilities who participate in the AA-AAS can receive a regular diploma. The criteria for doing so in these states were extremely varied, from those that have the exact same requirements to those that allow the IEP team to set the criteria. In states with policies that indicated that students with the most significant cognitive disabilities who participate in the AA-AAS could not receive a regular diploma, all but one state indicated that other end-of-school documents (e.g., certificates, special diplomas) were available to these students. The information the authors found and that was provided during the verification process provides important information for the field. Their findings should provide a basis for discussions within states as they consider their policies in light of college and career readiness imperatives.
Published: 2014
Sign Support Guidelines for Accessible Assessments: Insights From Cognitive LabsFormats: PDFA report observing that students who are deaf or hard of hearing (Deaf/HH) and communicate using American Sign Language (ASL) may benefit from sign accommodations on state assessments. However, there have been challenges in standardizing assessment content including how items should be signed. Technology-enhanced assessment offers the opportunity to provide standardized sign support delivered through the test platform. One goal of the Guidelines for Accessible Assessment Project (GAAP) was to develop research-based sign guidelines that can be used across states, consortia, and assessment vendors to produce reliable and valid signed representations of assessment items and tasks for students who communicate using sign language. This report highlights the findings from cognitive labs conducted with students to gain their input and feedback on the proposed guidelines. A total of 46 elementary-, middle-, and high-school-aged students who were Deaf/HH and communicated using ASL participated in cognitive labs. The research findings point to the students' preferences for the provision of the sign support in general and for this support being grounded in ASL rather than representations aligned with other languages.
Published: December 2014
NCEO Synthesis Reports: States' Flexibility Waiver Plans for Alternate Assessments Based on Alternate Achievement Standards (AA-AAS) (#96)A report compiling, analyzing, and summarizing what states said about the Alternate Assessments Based on Alternate Achievement Standards (AA-AAS) in their waiver applications. The U.S. Department of Education offered these waivers to states that requested flexibility from some of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act accountability requirements. The states' waiver applications included information that pertained to the AA-AAS, alternate achievement standards, and the students with disabilities who participate in the AA-AAS.
Published: 2014
NCEO Newsletter: October 2014 issueFormats: OnlineAn issue highlighting the launching of the 2014 NCEO Survey of States, summaries of two new reports on accommodations on English language proficiency assessments for low-incidence disabilities, and resources available from the July 2014 Webinar on "Successfully Transitioning Away from the 2% Assessment." Many of these resources are applicable to states seeking ways to improve use of data to identify intervention approaches, provide access to instruction, and improve implementation of standards-based Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). This issue also contains a short survey about the NCEO e-newsletter itself.
Published: October 2014
NCEO Synthesis Reports: 2013 State Policies for Selected Response Accommodations on Statewide Assessments (#93)A report providing information on selected response accommodations (i.e., Human Scribe, Speech to Text, Audio Transcription, Grammar Checker, Spell Checker, Calculator) that were included in state policies in 2013 for reading/ELA, math, and writing assessments. NCEO has been tracking and analyzing states' policies on assessment accommodations since 1992.
Published: September 2014
NCEO Synthesis Reports: A Summary of the Research on the Effects of Test Accommodations, 2011-2012 (#94)A report providing an update on the state of the research on testing accommodations as well as to identify promising future areas of research. Previous reports by NCEO have covered research published since 1999. NCEO summarizes the research to review current research trends and enhance understanding of the implications of accommodations use in the development of future policy directions, implementation of current and new accommodations, and valid and reliable interpretations when accommodations are used in testing situations. For 2011 and 2012, 49 published research studies on the topic of testing accommodations were found. The studies in 2011-2012 demonstrated several similarities when viewing them in comparison with previous research, especially in relation to the 2009-2010 studies examined in NCEO's previous accommodations research review.
Published: September 2014
Including Students who are Blind or Visually Impaired in English Language Proficiency Assessments: A Review of State PoliciesFormats: PDFA report updating information on state participation and accommodations policies for English language learners (ELLs) who are Blind/Visually Impaired (VI) on English language proficiency (ELP) assessments used for Title III accountability. Accommodations policies are discussed with reference to seven accommodations in three categories that are commonly used by ELLs who are Blind/VI. Included are five accommodations from the Presentation category (Braille, Large Print, Read Aloud Directions, Read Aloud Questions, Screen Reader/Text to Speech), one accommodation from the Response category (Brailler), and one accommodation from the Equipment category (Magnification Equipment).
Published: August 2014